21. A Distraction

…

~Two Days Later~

Hiro opens his eyes slowly. He inhales deeply and exhaled softly. His body felt light, and his breath had energy in them.

"Mmm,"

He turns his head down. His brows furrowed at the hot clear water. Last he remembered it was a milky substance. His reflection was a total mess. It had traces of blood on his cheeks, that ran from his dead looking eyes down his chin.

With his hands he bails water onto his face, scrubbing the blood traces. He did it as best as he could, before getting up. Closing his fist and opening it up, Hiro felt his body was way stronger and lighter than before. But he didn't have the time to be happy about it.

"Grr!!!"

His stomach cried out ever so loud, disrupting his thoughts. The only thing he could think of was to eat. He walks to the door and pulls it open. A red layer barrier greets him.

"Old Sai!"

Hiro voices as he hits the barrier. Unfortunately, there was no reply. He sits in front of the barrier and sighs.

"Oh right, my clothes,"

Hiro jumps to his feet at the realization of being almost naked. He dresses and returns back to the door.

"How am I going to get old Sai's attention?" He scratches his head. "Hey, old Sai! Open up! I'm hungry!"

He bangs at the barrier, but got no response.

"Ah! This is more torturous than last night!"

He sits down in meditation pose and sighs. "I hope he checks on me soon,"

…

~A Few Hours Later~

Hiro opens his eyes and exhales. He felt an increase in his body strength, but he could not determine what stage he had reached.

"Grr!"

He was still damn hungry, but there was no sign of old Sai coming to check up on him.

"I wouldn't die of hunger, right?" he sighs. "Mom, please come check up on me!"

He turns and sat beside the door, He didn't notice the gate opening and Ming Lu and Enji stepping in. Neither did he see old Sai stepping out of a room nor hear them talk.

"Welcome," old Sai said to Enji and Ming Lu.

"Good afternoon uncle," the duo chorused.

"Welcome, I checked this morning, he was still unconscious,"

"We see. I hope he is alright?" Enji asked.

"He is, why don't you go see him yourself,"

"We shouldn't disturb him,"

"That's nonsense, the boy is like a log right now. I doubt a horn can wake him up, haha," old Sai laughed and Ming Lu walked past him. "By the way, what about the party tomorrow?"

"We came to check up on him, if he is still unconscious we'll send out words of postponement,"

"Oh, it's quite late for that,"

"Yeah, should've been a day ago. Well…"

"Are you alright?" Ming Lu's voice interrupts.

The two turned towards her and found Hiro in her arms. He was looking at her with a smile on his face.

"Why were you on the ground?"

"Mom? I'm… starving,"

"Huh? Oh, let's get you something to eat,"

…

"Slow down Hiro, you are gonna choke," Ming Lu says while patting Hiro's back.

"Okay mom," Hiro swallows. "Where's Elta?"

"She's cultivating,"

"Oh, it's quiet without her. Too quiet, I don't like it,"

"I'm sure she'll be happy to know you missed her. Don't worry she'll step out for your party tomorrow,"

"Tomorrow?"

"You slept for some days,"

"Oh,"

"Uncle, husband, would you stop staring at him like that. I don't think he finds it comfortable,"

Ming Lu turns to old Sai and Enji who sat across the table from them. They both watched Hiro like a hawk to its prey.

"Is something wrong?" Hiro asks.

"They are like that because we can't see what realm you are on,"

"Huh? Why is that?"

"Did you encounter any problems while cultivating?" Old Sai asked.

"Cultivating?"

"Yeah, you were cultivating in your sleep,"

"Is that possible?"

"Logically, it isn't," Enji replies.

"Then how did I do it?"

"Haha, how do you expect us to know that?" Old Sai asks.

"Give me your hand let me check your realm," Enji stretched his hand towards Hiro.

He takes Hiro's hand and frowns. His surroundings had changed. He didn't know when everything around him disappeared. Ming Lu, old Sai, the table, chairs and the courtyard had vanished.

The only thing he saw was a blinding light. He felt an eye open and before this eye, he felt like a speck of dust.

The eye stared down at him for a while before closing back. The light disappeared and everything around him reappeared.

"Huh?"

"Are you alright?" Ming Lu asked.

"Yeah,"

"You look like you've seen a ghost," old Sai said. "What did you see?"

"Um, a bright light. It was standing in front of me,"

"A bright light? That… again," Hiro muttered.

"You've seen it before?" Ming Lu asked.

"Before I passed out I saw it, it told me to find it,"

"Find it where?" Enji asked.

"It didn't tell me. Before disappearing it glared at me and spoke two words, find me,"

"If later it appears again, let us know,"

"Okay father,"

"Hmm, a bright light… what color was it?" Old Sai asked.

"Golden yellow, like the sun," Enji replied.

"Lad let me see,"

Old Sai took Hiro's hand and frowned. "Hmm, nothing happened,"

"Huh?"

"What?"

Hiro and Enji gasps and Enji takes Hiro's hand again. He frowns and then his eyes dilates.

"Nothing, but Hiro, he's at…"

"The seventh stage of the body tempering realm. His speed is frightening," Old Sai interrupts.

"It's only been less than a week!" Ming Lu stares at Hiro. "Keep it up,"

"Okay mom,"

"By the way lad, I have good news for you," old Sai places a small pocket bag on the table.

"What's that?"

"Check it,"

Hiro takes the bag and opens it. His eyes dilates and the corners of his lips grew.

"Pills! There are a lot of them! Wait…" he puts his hand into the bag. "How does the bag contain so much?"

"It's a storage bag, a lesser version of a storage ring. Compared to others this one's space is big, as big as a small room. When you reach the nascent soul realm you'll be able to use storage rings for now this is what you use,"

"Thanks, but I thought you said I can't eat pills?"

"I was lying,"

"Elta was right after all,"

"So the good news, you have a medicine spirit body, but sadly I'm unable to identify what kind,"

"A what what body?"

"A medicine spirit body lad, it means in the future you can make your own pills. So when you get to that school, take a pill class,"

"I don't think I would like to do that. Well, when I get to school I'll decide,"

"Why wouldn't you like that? It's amazing being an alchemist," Enji says. "Alchemist are respected,"

"Alchemist? Someone that makes pills?"

"Yes,"

"Looking at the pill, I can tell it's not easy to make. I feel learning it would make me deviate from cultivating,"

"Nonsense, not learning it is waste of a good body," old Sai cuts in.

"Right now, the search for immortality and strength is my goal. Until I make father and mother proud every other thing is a distraction,"

"Hiro, what old Sai mean is alchemy can be used as an auxiliary for your cultivation. And it's not a bad idea learning something, who knows when it can come in handy," Ming Lu pats his head.

"I understand but I still feel it would be a distraction. When I reach the core formation realm I'll think about it,"

"Alright,"

"I still feel it's a waste," old Sai mutters. "The pills I gave you, until you reach the foundation realm you can only take one a day. When you reach the foundation realm, two a day. If you take even half more than I instructed you will explode,"

"Huh? You are lying again,"

"You can try it out and see if I'm lying this time,"

"Hiro listen to old Sai," Enji says.

"Yes father,"

"So concerning his realm that is hidden?" Ming Lu asks.

"It shouldn't cause much trouble for him, except at the school. If the academy fails to teach him because of that Izuhi is there to teach him,"

"Alright husband, Hiro if you have any problems in cultivation get Izuhi and Aki to help you out," Ming Lu says.

"Oh okay mom,"

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